By Dave Brown

Do I Need a Fishing License?

So you want to go fishing?  Before you do, there is one important thing you should look up and know before you go.  Do you need a fishing license.

Know The Rules

The rules and regulations vary greatly from state to state.  Each has its own governing body over the outdoors.  Before you go fishing, you want to be sure that you are doing it legally. 

Okuma is based in Southern California, and for us to go fishing, we do need a license. That license has a variety of "stamps" in order to be legal depending on where you are fishing.  Are you fishing in freshwater, saltwater, the Colorado River?  Are you fishing for Lobster, Abalone, etc?  You do need to know the regulations before you hit the water.  There is no reason to go home with a $700+ fine for just wanting to go out and have a little fun. 

State To State

As mentioned above, each state has its own set of rules and regulations.  Here is a little graph to give you an idea on how much it will cost you for a yearly fishing license in each state.  Most states also offer a 1-day to 7-day options as well, so that yo don't need to buy the full year, but in most cases, if you plan to go out a couple of times, the investment for the full year is worth it. 

Note that in the graphic above, that some states offer a singular license for the entire year, while other states offer a freshwater and saltwater version.  

A great source for finding your rules and regulations, as well as purchasing your license directly, is here at TakeMeFishing.org

Another thing to note is that in some states, your new license will be good for 365 days, meaning that is you purchase it on May 15, it will expire the following year on May 14.  While in some states, like here in California, your license is only good for a calendar year.  That means if you buy it on May 15, it will expire on December 31.  

Do Your Research

It is best to know the rules and regulations when you plan to head to the water.  Do a little research and save yourself the possibility of a big ticket at the end of the day.  Pop open the ol' Google and search for your states Fishing Regulations.  Of course you can always talk to your local tackle shop as well and they'll fill you in and get you going in the right direction. 

Good luck, and we'll see you on the water.

Dave Brown- Okuma Fishing Tackle